Skin Care = Self Care

Life is busy.  We live in 2012 - racing around, pushing our minds, our bodies and our devices to be faster and faster, cramming in activities with family, friends, kids, and professional obligations.  So, as we approach the supposed "golden days of summer" it seems like a fitting time to look at self care and specifically, skin care.

Maybe you're like me and wake to the alarm on your smartphone, peering down at emails, task lists, the weather report and Facebook posts with barely one eye open (truly!), before you've even taken a moment to get out of bed and greet the day.  The adrenaline jolt supercedes my need for caffeine in the morning, but likely it's not doing much for my stress management and cortisol levels.

Maybe you're morning routine is a frantic search for what to wear, what to bring with you and how to juggle the different obligations you'll meet throughout the day. Grab some breakfast on the go, wash it down with some coffee or tea and you're out the door.

Do you take time to think about your skin? Seriously? Maybe not.  Or maybe only during your morning makeup application, in an effort to conceal your not-so-favorite spots and brighten up your complexion? What about the rest of your body? Maybe some days? Maybe not.

Well I'm here to tell you that Skin Care = Self Care.

Believe it or not, your skin says a lot about your well-being, your lifestyle, your nutrition and your stress levels.   As one of the most important parts of the body, your skin interacts with the environment and is your first line of defense against external factors, like rapid temperature change, dehydration, and pathogens.

• Stress can make psoriasis or rosacea worse, result in acne that is more inflamed and more persistent, cause brittle nails and ridging of the nails, cause hair loss, cause or worsen hives, and cause excessive perspiration.

• Stress also is a known trigger or can be a worsening factor for fever blisters, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis and has even been shown to impair skin barrier function and dehydrate the skin — allowing more irritants, allergens, and infectious agents to penetrate the skin and cause problems.

• Add lack of sleep and lack of exercise along with a poor diet and you've got a recipe for unhappy skin and unhappy you. 

Caring for your skin - face, body, nails and hair - requires more than jumping on the bandwagon of the next beauty sensation, or popping in for a quick mani-pedi.
Skin Care = Self Care.

Just as you may spend time considering diet and exercise or the food choices you give your family, remember that the skin care choices you make (or don't make) can affect your overall well-being, and alternately all of the other choices you make can affect your skin.  As we all prepare for summertime and more outdoor time, this is a friendly reminder to take extra precautions to care for your self and your skin, because stressed skin can be susceptible skin.  Take care of your self and protect your skin.  

Stay tuned for next post when I'll share some Skin Care Survival Tips!

In the meantime, check out http://www.oliebiologique.com to learn about organic & natural skin care choices and maybe pick up a sample today! 

Olìe Biologique Sample Trio Now Available! FREE SHIPPING!

Are you curious about our Argan oil and other Argan-rich blends? Not sure which to try first? 

Now try three of our top oils & blends all for $8.95 & FREE SHIPPING

The NEW Sample Trio includes 2ml samples of: 

100% Organic Argan Oil — The Multitasker 

Huile Moderne 004 — Hydrating 

NEW Huile Radicale 005 — Rejuvenating

100% Organic Argan Oil — The Multitasker 100% Certification means we don't add anything to this pure, organically produced, product. You get 100% non-processed, chemical-free, organic argan oil of the highest quality. Multi-tasking oil for face, body, hands, nail and hair. Anti-aging, wrinkle-smoothing, won't clog pores, reduces stretch marks and adds shine to hair.

Huile Moderne 004 — Hydrating Hydrating, healing, wrinkle smoothing and mood lifting. A light, subtly scented blend of powerful organic and essential oils—excellent for skin and nails. Fast-absorbing, it's packed with anti-aging goodness and hydrating properties. Protects against environmental exposure and relieves shaving irritation.

NEW Huile Radicale 005 — RejuvenatingNature's plumper and parched skin quencher. Radiance-boosting and rejuvenating, this blend of 8 organic plant botanicals and floral extracts provides all-natural skin quenching properties with lightweight, healing potency. Anti-oxidants, fatty acids and naturally occurring retinoic acid preserve elasticity, plump lines and improve firmness. Rich in vitamins A, B, C, & E to brighten dull skin, even pigmentation. Absorbs completely to leave a silky, non-greasy finish.

For more on our oils & blends and tips on how to use them click HERE.

Olìe Biologique offers no-fuss products to be used by the whole family in many ways. Try the sample to find the natural fit for you and your family. 

Because life's complicated; skincare shouldn't be!

Not All Argan Oils Are Created Equal: Beauty Huile Review

Our president and founder, Linda Thompson, recently had the opportunity to connect with Beauty Huile's very knowledgable N. K. They discussed the best ways to select high-quality Argan oil. Below find excerpts from N.K.'s article or click HERE for the full article.  

New York based Olìe Biologique is breaking with the Argan tradition. In an industry dominated by assurances of handcrafted Moroccan oil, founder Linda Thompson, takes the lid off what’s considered a luxe oil for skin and demystifies the process of selecting what should be about the quality, not scarcity, of a rare oil. Linda says,

“A hand-pressed oil might sound artisanal and pure but hand pressing uses water to extract the oil. There is no such thing as ‘organic’ water in Morocco. The addition of water affects the purity, texture/absorption, scent and shelf life of the oil and risks adding impurities. Hand-pressed has a 3-month shelf life vs. cold, machine-pressed shelf life of 2 years. Some oils are even cut with other less expensive oils in Morocco before shipping.”

This is the kind of backstory we don’t often hear about when rushing off to score the hottest thing to hit the beauty market since Resveratol’s antioxidant action. The deceptively simple Argan Oil (Ferulic Acid, a potent antioxidant, is among the copious amounts of omegas and fatty acids) doesn’t seem like it would need much of a technologically cobbled explanation since its old-world ambience is fitting, but after chatting it up with Linda, it’s clear her USDA approved Olìe Biologique Argan Oil ($40) is a treatment that is precisely engineered and bottled to be sure no contaminants have a chance to thrive inside the ominous black bottle.

First off, the 100% certification labels ensures that her lab and its expert handlers haven’t added anything to this organically produced oil. In an industry lacking regulation, Linda insists that quality control begins with a carefully selected supplier (in place of fresco artisans) who understands the importance of the long-standing appreciation for certification from the start. The production process, under what surely must be a shrewd, sympathetic, unblinking eye, is still rigorous, perhaps, even a little mathematical, despite making small batches to preserve the oil's efficacy. But it is this attention to detail that yields the purest of oils. So pure, EcoCert will only approve a certification if 95% of ingredients are natural or from natural origin, and that 95% of those natural ingredients are certified organic. This oil is. 

How else to spot a stupendously high quality Argan Oil? Linda suggests really giving time to touch, smell and feel out your Argan.

Curious about our Argan oil and other Argan-rich blends? 

Try our NEW Sample Trio that includes 2ml Samples of:

Argan — The Multitasker 

Huile Moderne 004 — Hydrating 

NEW Huile Radicale 005 — Rejuvenating